The Day Of The Doctor: The 3D Cinema Experience
Before I discuss and review the content of the 50th special, I wanted to talk a bit first about the cinema experience. I was fortunate to get tickets for me, my wife seven year old son (who's a big a fan as me - he came dressed in a shirt and bow tie with toy sonic screwdriver in hand!) to see the 'Day Of The Doctor' in the cinema in 3D, here in Cardiff where the show is made. I often see familiar streets and landmarks translated in London or other places on screen - but to know you're in the heart of the place where this show is produced, it felt quite special to celebrate it here. The biggest question I guess was would the show translate to the cinema screen? I was also fortunate enough to see it in the biggest screen too - so any failings would easily be apparent. Long gone are the dodgy sets and rubber masks (though I love them all the same!) but would the special to live up to the effects and high drama of big Hollywood blockbusters? And would the 3D work? The answer was a resounding yes. I loved the special. It exceeded my expectations in fact, but what made this viewing special was the true celebratory cinema experience. People dressed in costume. (My son wasn't the only Eleventh Doctor!). Weeping Angels. Clockwork robots. The cutest little cyberman you've ever seen. The buzz of many sonic screwdrivers across the cinema. It was electric even before the special started. And there some truly great little intros too for cinema goers. Strax again was on fine form - lecturing viewers to switch off communication devices, cease idle chatter and not to illegally record. (Guilty cinema goers were shown to be tied up and interrogated!). And his delight over popping corn...popcorn feels pain he exclaimed with delight before eating some. The clip isn't up on Youtube yet, but I urge fans to try and find it when they can. Better still we had Ron Burgandy of Anchorman 2 (cunningly coming to cinemas next month) getting very confused over Doctor Who. (IGN have the clip
here) and Doctor's Ten and Eleven giving a great little introduction to 3D, complete with some bickering over each other's looks as a prelude to the main event itself. And the 'Day Of The Doctor' on the big screen? Well the invasion of Gallifrey certainly lived up to 3D. There were also some little moments in the woods of Elizabethan England where the depth of 3D also shone through. Admittedly, I didn't notice it as much for the rest of the special, but it didn't matter. The quality of the image and the effects shone through. Perhaps this is where all the BBC budget went (resulting in a lack of episodes in the last couple of years), but it was well worth it. And it was the little moments that only sitting in an audience full of fans could bring. The resounding cheer when 'the thirteenth Doctor' was announced and those eyes appeared on screen. The sounds of joy when Tom Baker's voice was heard, followed by his appearance as the curator. The gasp from the woman besides me when Tennant's Doctor rather morosely announced 'I don't want to go'. The laughs at the War Doctor's derision at 'timey wimey', (and Tennant's I have no idea what he's talking about), catch phrases and choices of shoes. And the massive applause at the end. Absolute joy and perhaps the best cinema experience I've had. Worth every penny. Now on to the details itself...